Stories about French from September, 2008
D.R. Congo: Legislator faces rape allegations
Congolese blogger Alex Engwete [Fr] calls for a major politician to step down, amid accusations he raped a 12 year-old girl [Fr].
Nigerien rebel group denies departure of top commander
On its blog, Nigerien insurgent group Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice [Fr] denied the reported departure of Commander Kindo Zado, one if the movement's vice presidents, a former Nigerien army officer who defected to MNJ last year.
Ripples of the China Milk Scandal in Africa
In China, an estimated 13,000 children have fallen ill since the tainted milk scandal broke. Chinese influence has grown in Africa in recent years, as have imports of all kinds products, from running shoes to instant noodles. Bloggers as far afield as Congo and Senegal, concerned about the safety of Chinese products in their countries, are closely following the story.
Moroccan Blogger Mohammed Erraji Acquitted
The Blogoma, or Moroccan blogosphere, was buzzing today over news of Moroccan blogger Mohammed Erraji's acquittal. Erraji was arrested last week for writing that the king's charity toward his people encourages them to remain helpless rather than work hard.
Young Egyptian Women Do Not Want to Work!
While some women are still struggling to prove themselves in the workplace, the young generation of Egyptian men and women seems to be taking different route. Marwa Rakha brings us the story of how young Egyptians told a television show that they did not want their wives to work.
D.R. Congo: Several television and radio stations shut down
Mediatic [Fr] writes about the recent ban on five unauthorized television stations and two radio stations in Kinshasa and suggests this is just a preview of the big “housecleaning” of the government has been promising. (via Réseau International de correspondants francophones)
Senegal: President Wade, man of the people
Blog politique au Senegal [Fr] gives a tongue-in-cheek account of President Wade's visit to areas of Dakar affected by recent floods, made all the more hilarious by some clever photoshopping: “In a grand spirit of soldarity with those stricken [by the floods], [Wade] didn't hesitate to “get his shirt wet”…he...
Ivorian television goes global
According to Le Blog de Yoro [Fr], TAM TAM, Cote d'Ivoire's first private television station, is set to start broadcasting content over the internet via GlobeCast, a subsidiary of France Telecom in a deal that also includes satellite distribution.
Cote d'Ivoire: Deforestation and the booming housing market
Y-Voir-Plus and readers discuss the alarming rate of deforestation in Cote d'Ivoire and the explosion of the housing market.
Cote d'Ivoire: New blog on web and mobile tech
Blogger Cartunelo, who studies web programming in Abidjan, launches Monde Techno, a new blog dedicated to “decrypting, analyzing, exploring and showcasing” the best in internet and mobile technologies in Cote d'Ivoire and across Africa [Fr].
BAO, a news aggregator for francophone Africa
L'observatoire des médias links to BAO, a new user-driven news aggregator for francophone Africa. Users submit links to news content from around the web and vote on their favorite links. “A great initiative for our dear continent, a step toward rejecting mediocrity and laxness” [Fr], L'observatoire writes.
Morocco: Police Officer Shot by Member of Royal Family
After months of relative quiet in the Moroccan blogosphere, two incidents have everyone talking. One, of course, is the recent case of Mohammed Erraji. The other is the recent news that a police officer has been shot by a distant member of the royal family. The bloggers tell the story…
Morocco: An Inside View of Mohammed Raji's Trial
Ibn Kafka offers [fr] an inside view of Mohammed Raji's trial, explaining that Raji was not given the opportunity to defend himself, nor was he permitted defense by a lawyer.
Morocco: Understanding Mohammed Raji's Sentence
Less than a year ago, Global Voices noted Morocco as the “liveliest free speech zone in Muslim North Africa.” And yet, journalists are all too frequently fined or arrested, and yesterday a blogger, Mohammed Raji, joined their ranks. The blogger was arrested yesterday afternoon for insulting the king, and was immediately tried and sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of MAD 5,000 (about $625). The Moroccan blogosphere, lively as ever, has rallied around Raji.
Congolese bloggers on the American elections
Congolese bloggers Musengeshi Katata and Shaka Bantou have been closely following the American Democratic and Republican conventions at Forum Realisance. Both are staunch supporters of Obama and sharp critics of the Republican Party. Like many around the world, bloggers in Congo and across Africa have been following this American election with the belief that its outcome is incredibly important not only for America, but for the world.
Chrome Welcomed with Accolades and Controversy in the Middle East
On Tuesday, Google joined the browser game by launching its very own browser, Chrome, to positive accolades and a bit of controversy. The free browser, which is currently only available for Windows, caused not only a media storm, but a blog storm as well, from nearly every corner of the globe. The Middle East and North African blogosphere, always quick to react to big stories, immediately began buzzing about Chrome yesterday, and haven't stopped since.
Cote d'Ivoire: Toxic dumping case reaches court
L'actualite de Cote d'Ivoire writes that twelve people, including the head of Tommy, a local waste processing company, are set to appear before a court in Abidjan later this month; they are charged with “poisoning or conspiracy to poison” for illegally dumping 500 tons of toxic waste. Tommy was under...
Parti Liberal du Tchad on illegal migration
Parti Liberal du Tchad calls for an “integral” solution to illegal migration from Africa to Europe and the establishment of a high commission to examine the problem. “Without the flow of migrants, many European countries would not be where they are today. So it is important to remember what these...
Where in the world are Global Voices translators?
These days, Global Voices' Lingua translators produce 15 different language editions of this website (18, if you count the up-and-coming Swahili, Russian, and Serbian) so people around the world who don't speak English, can join the global conversation.
